HORSE RACING

7-year-old Flat Out looms atop favorites at Belmont

Published: Saturday, July 6, 2013 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 5, 2013 at 7:58 p.m.

Florida-breds are the favorites in a couple of graded stakes races out at Belmont Park on Saturday, including the Grade 2, $350,000 Suburban Handicap.

Flat Out, the 7-year-old Florida-bred son of Flatter, is the even money favorite in the 1 1/8-mile, Grade 2 race.

The oldest horse in the race, he only drew four rivals in the Suburban, including 2-1 second choice Last Gunfighter, a 4-year-old son of First Samurai, which has won two straight Grade 3 races. He won the Pimlico Special Stakes in May and the Excelsior Stakes at Aqueduct in March.

He is also on a six-race win streak, not having lost since last March, but it is his first try against Grade 2 competition.

Flat Out is a multiple Grade 1 winner whose last win came in the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes at Belmont in April. He finished third in his last start in the $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap in May.

Flat Out sold for $11,000 as a weanling in the 2006 Ocala Breeders’ Sales fall mixed sale. He was later resold for $85,000 as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton.

Bred by Nikolaus Bock, he is owned by Preston Stables, and has earned more than $2.7 million in his career.

The Suburban is set for 4:45 p.m. and is race No. 8.

In the Grade 2 Dwyer Stakes for 3-year-olds, Florida-bred Battier is the 2-1 favorite in the $200,000 race.

The son of Tale of the Cat has hit the board in all seven of his races. He finished third in his last race, the Gygistar Stakes at Belmont. He won the Fit to Fight Stakes in his race before that in April at Aqueduct.

Battier drew the No. 1 post in the 1 1/16-mile race in the field of six horses. The second choice, Abraham, is a 3-year-old son of Distorted Humor. He enters the race at odds of 5-2 and drops from graded stakes competition.

He made three straight graded-stakes starts, finishing fourth in his last two, including his latest in the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont in May.

Both Abraham and Battier are trained by Todd Pletcher.

Battier was bred by Loren Nichols and Dr. Joseph Tripi and is owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Brahman Red LLC.

<p>Florida-breds are the favorites in a couple of graded stakes races out at Belmont Park on Saturday, including the Grade 2, $350,000 Suburban Handicap.</p><p>Flat Out, the 7-year-old Florida-bred son of Flatter, is the even money favorite in the 1 1/8-mile, Grade 2 race. </p><p>The oldest horse in the race, he only drew four rivals in the Suburban, including 2-1 second choice Last Gunfighter, a 4-year-old son of First Samurai, which has won two straight Grade 3 races. He won the Pimlico Special Stakes in May and the Excelsior Stakes at Aqueduct in March.</p><p>He is also on a six-race win streak, not having lost since last March, but it is his first try against Grade 2 competition.</p><p>Flat Out is a multiple Grade 1 winner whose last win came in the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes at Belmont in April. He finished third in his last start in the $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap in May. </p><p>Flat Out sold for $11,000 as a weanling in the 2006 Ocala Breeders' Sales fall mixed sale. He was later resold for $85,000 as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton.</p><p>Bred by Nikolaus Bock, he is owned by Preston Stables, and has earned more than $2.7 million in his career. </p><p>The Suburban is set for 4:45 p.m. and is race No. 8. </p><p>In the Grade 2 Dwyer Stakes for 3-year-olds, Florida-bred Battier is the 2-1 favorite in the $200,000 race. </p><p>The son of Tale of the Cat has hit the board in all seven of his races. He finished third in his last race, the Gygistar Stakes at Belmont. He won the Fit to Fight Stakes in his race before that in April at Aqueduct.</p><p>Battier drew the No. 1 post in the 1 1/16-mile race in the field of six horses. The second choice, Abraham, is a 3-year-old son of Distorted Humor. He enters the race at odds of 5-2 and drops from graded stakes competition. </p><p>He made three straight graded-stakes starts, finishing fourth in his last two, including his latest in the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont in May.</p><p>Both Abraham and Battier are trained by Todd Pletcher. </p><p>Battier was bred by Loren Nichols and Dr. Joseph Tripi and is owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Brahman Red LLC.</p><p>He has earned more than $145,000 in his career. </p><p>The Dwyer is scheduled for 5:17 a.m. and is race No. 9.</p>